I am looking to purchase a 9mm CCW compact semi-auto. For various reasons, I have narrowed my search to the Smith & Wesson M&P series compact or the Beretta PX4 Storm sub-compact. Does anyone here have any useful input for me? Please keep responses polite...

I like the Smith & Wesson M&P and really like the price on them. I saw them in the shops a little over a year ago I guess and they were right at 400 maybe a little over that. I thought it felt good in my hand and I liked that it was easy to break down and clean. The only thing I dont like the the part that you take out on the grip. Im not sure of how well over time it will hold up. I dont know anything about the PX4 Storm.

I carry a G19 everyday for my CCW not sure if you dont like Glock or if its the price. I think if I was going to pick my next CCW gun I would go with the M&P as I really liked not only the price but like I said how easy it was to take down and it was almost like my Glock in that department. Keep us posted and range report.

I recently had service problems with a new Walther (now owned by S&W). It took over two weeks to talk to a person and once I got the gun in for repair and back in my hands it was several weeks later. At that, I thought they did a sloppy repair job on a brand new pistol -- dirty, covered in graphite -- just sloppy. Maybe it was just bad luck on my part, but I had to work REALLY, REALLY hard to get poor service. Wish you well, hope this helps.

I am looking to purchase a 9mm CCW compact semi-auto. For various reasons, I have narrowed my search to the Smith & Wesson M&P series compact or the Beretta PX4 Storm sub-compact. Does anyone here have any useful input for me? Please keep responses polite...

Uber

I don't have experience with the M&P, but I do own a full size PX4 9mm. It shoots flawlessly and is more accurate than I am. The only thing I would say about the PX4SC is that Beretta delayed about 2 years from announcing it until they finally started delivering it this summer. They had several false start delivery dates along the way. The full size PX4 has a rotating barrel, the PX4SC has a tilt barrel - don't know how that will play out over time, but the mechanisms are different. Many other semi-autos use the tilt barrel, so that is not a new concept. You might want to see how the first deliveries perform to see if there are any bugs that appear. As you know there are often things that don't crop up until the public gets their hands on the new design. On the positive side of the PX4SC:
1. It has a safety/decocker (which I recommend) - which I wanted.
2. It has an exposed hammer - so you can fire SA/DA - which I wanted
3. It has exchangeable grip inserts to suit your hand size - which I wanted
4. It is quality built and easy to maintain - which I wanted

Personally, I waited quite a while to buy a PX4SC and finally gave up and bought a H&K P2000SK 9mm. What a sweet gun!!! It is out of the price range of the M&P & PX4SC, but if you can find a used one I would highly recommend checking it out.

I have a full sized M&P 40 and I love it. I carry it everywhere without much problem, but I'm probably going to get a M&P 40 compact. Ive only had experience with one berretta a friend of mine had and I hated it. My personal opinion is go with a M&P, but try them both.